Electric control system



Patented Apr. l, 1924.

lUNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE.-

HUGH M. sToLLER AND HUBERT A.

rATTrsoN, or NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNoRs To WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC CONTROL sYs'Tnivr.`

Application ledvMaroh 28, 1921. Serial No. 456,438.

To all 11i/ wm t may concern:

Be it known that We, HUGH M. S'roLLnRv have invented certain new and useful 1111-.,

Controll Systems, of

provements inv Electric a full, clear, concise,

which the following is and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements 1n electric control systems for prime mover dynamo plants and more partitmlarly '.to such plants employing an-internal combustlon .engine as 'the prime mover.

provlsion of an electromagnetic regulator comprising a unitary structure whihserves to control` the output of the generator c omcircuittowhich it is connected, to indicate the current. developed thereby underva'rious conditions,and to stop the primefnover by breaking the ignition circuit therefor', u n'der4 Where a batte?- e' usedvas a motor for starting the/prime"fligltvf'f` in addition t0 its ft1n0 Hy-valve 24 'and the needle valve 28 will be predetermined conditions. 1s employed'and .the'dynamo may al" @ai the regulator,

tions 'Just' enumerated, also servesv as a start# a means for'preventing'. discharge of the battery-through the dy" ing switchV and as Fig. 1^'is a diagrammatic View of a direc connected ,prime mover generatorplant showingthemelemnts of; the electromag.l

netic regulator and their connection to the carburetor of the prime mover and to -a typical circuit including a battery, ignition circuit for thev prime mover, and load circuit. l

Fig. A2 is a fragmentary, detail viewiillus trating the various positionsv 'of the operating handle and its connection with thel electromagnetic regulator and with a pair of electrical contacts used in securing an' overcharge of the battery when 'oneV is employed.

The construction vention can best be mensurate lwith the demands 4of the' supply` *f valve 28. When the particularly 1 -lpla'tgxjtlie i purposes drawings, I

olieration ,of the in understood by `'referenceI inglfm'aterial which is in detail to the accompanying 4 a`wi1`ig"iinj .mmctspring 'make and break the ignis which 10 indicates a prime mover which is illustrated as an internal combustion engine, but itis to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other prime engines, heat en- 12 of the engine 10, and is provided with .a series field 13, and a shunt field 14 differlentlally wound, the latter'being connected directly across the brushes 15 and "16.

The electromagnetic regulator 'comprises `aseries coil'l? and shunt coil. 18 wound Oneofthe objects ofthe invention` 1s' the" upon a U-shaped core .19 between the oppo- 'site poles '20 of which an armature 21 is 2 6 secured to the shaft 22 27 securedl to the upper end of a needle shaft 22 is actuated, asw'ill b e hereinafterexplained, the butteractiiated .to simultaneously cut oil or 4inunderstood.. The uprend of the yshaft 22 is journaled within fp late ,29 and carries a pointer 30, which. cooperates with a scale 31 formed on the of which will hereinafter explained. The shaft '22 also carries'` an arm 32 which is adapted to engage aile'ver 33 mounted upon a shaft 34,' journaled in the plate 29,'wh'ich carries rupon its upper end, an operating handle 35 having a projection 36" which serves as a ointer cooperating with index points 37, ormed on thc plate 29.

The operating handle 35 is shown in its 'normalj position in whichthe vlever 33 is so Adisposed that it is out of the path of the arm 32 which may be moved,counter-clockwise until -it engages a'stop 38, the arm being normally held against a second stop 39, by the tension of the spring 23 exerted on the armature 21. A third arm 40 is fixed to the shaft .22 and Acarries a button 41 of i nsulatadapted to engage a employing a fuel valve' carries a butterfly throtjtle valve 24, of usual construction, located within the fuel intake pipe 25k of the engine 10. Anarm "fiasfa pin and slot connection Witha lever rease the fuel and air fed into the intake y25, vas is readily tion circuit Jfor the prime mover and the main line or load circuit, as will be hereinatter explained in detail.

The various circuit conn eetions tor the generator, the electromagnetic regulator, the ignition circuit 'for the internal combustion engine and the load circuit will now be explained. The brushes 15 and 16 of the gen erator arm connected with main conductors 50 and 51, respectively, the former adapted to be made or broken by a contact spring 52 and contact', and the latter connected to the series coil 17 and shunt coil 1S ot the electromagnetic regulator. The primary ignition circuit comprises the primary winding 55 of anignition coil and a tinier'in series therewith which is connected to a contact 56. This circuit, is bridged across the main conductors 50 and 51 when the Contact spring 53 is brought. into engagementl with the contacts 52 and 56. rIhre secondary winding 5T of the ignition coil has one end connected to a spark plug 5S and its other end Zgrounded at point 59 on the engine 10. A load, which is illust rated as aplurality ot lamps GO, is bridged across the main con duetors 50 and 51, as is also a secondary battery 61, its connect-ion to the conductor 50 being between the load 60 and the contact. springs 52 and 53, so that, though the main conductor 50 be broken by the separat-ion of the contacts 52 and'ifl. the, load 30 may still be supplied by current roin the secondary battery 61.

1n Fig. 1 the various elements ot the system are illustrated in the positions that they occupy when the internal combustion engine 10 and the `'enerator 1l. driven thereby, are inactive. The contact spring is out ot engagement with the contacts 52 and 56, so thatthe main conductor 50 is broken and the primary ignition circuit. open, the load 60 being supplied with current, when 'desired` 'from the secondary battery G1. `When the charge in the secondary battery reaches such a low pointy that it cannot meet the demands of the load G0. as may be indicated either from the action of the load such as the dimming ot the lights. where they coinprise the load) or by a suitable volt-meter or hydrometer (not shown). it is desirable to start up the generator to recharge the battery and also perhaps to supply the load. To do so, countcrclockwise trom its normal position, in which the pointer 3G is opposite an index point 3T marked Stop automatic, to the index point 3T marked Start This move nient ot the handle 35 rotates the shaft 3i counter-clockwise causing a lever 63 carried by the shaft to engage the tail G-l ot a latch and move it downwardly. The said latch is pivoted at 65, and the downward moyeinent. ot the tail Gil. causes a latching arm 66, integral therewith, to release the contact spring shown), or after moi/'inathe handle the operating' handle is turned 53 and permit it to spring upwardly into engagement with contacts 52 and 5G. Upon the closingl of contacts VQ and current is supplied thc lejenerator. 11 trom the secondarybattery tl. causing it to operate as a motor to crank the eras .engine 10, the series field 13 and shuntl field 1d at this time operating cumulatively to secure a high torque. As thepiston is recprocated, ignition current is supplied the spark plug 5S through the closing of contacts 52, 53 and 56, plosive mixture is Yted through the intake 25, the needle ralve Q8 and butterfly valve Q4 being held in their wide open positions by the action of the spring The explosive mixture may be varied in starting by the use 'of a usual 'torni ot choke valve (not 555 to a point intermediate the index points Start and top automatic" the shalt 'l2 and air and gas valves operated thereby, may be ad- `iusted manually by turning the pointer 30 attached to the said shaft. Preferably, however, the handle is kept atrthe start position and a choke valve employed.

The handle 35 is held in its adjusted position until the engine starts. which causes the `e'enerator 11 to operate as a generator, the tields 13 and 141- at this time operatingr diierentially, and when the voltage ot the generator rises suliiciently to overcome the counter eleetromotive force ol the secondary battery (l1, the current in the mains :itl and 51 reverses and current is suppliedl the battery and load circuit passing through the. series and shunt coils` ot' the electromatr` netic regulator. These coils are ditl'erentially wound. and' preferably so proportioned that the magnetic linx developed by the shunt coil is so much `lreater than that developed by the series coil so that when the dynamo is charging the batteiy, the. armature 2l is controlled substantially by the shunt coil. causing it to be rotated coun ter-clockwise a distance commensurate with thevoltag'e in the main eoinliu'torstl and 5l and the counter-acting force. ot the spring The handle fk5 may now be moved trom ,the position start back to the index point I` T marked "itop automatic." lt the load increases. the rolt-age in the. coil 1S will drop, reducing the tlux and perinittineT the spring: il?) to rotate the' armature to open up the valves Z1-t and QS., i and ejeneraor to speed up and take care.- ot the increased load. s the load decreases the oppositie action will take place, the volt age in the coil 1S rising. increasing the (lux and causing the armature 2l to tiirn the shaft 22 to Yfurther close the valves "21 and 2S, reducing the. speed ot the engine and the output of the generator.

.ln order to secure the. desired movement of the armature 21 without too gre-.it change in the voltage of the system, the air gap lou llt)

causing the engine between thel armature and the pole pieces 2O is tapered so that it diminishes as the armature is rotated clockwise. As the ai4V mature oscillates back and forth, due to the varying voltage in the coil 18, the hand 30',` carried by theshaft 22, passes over the iii-- fully charged condition, the voltage of'thtI coil 18 becomes higher causing the armature 21 to bring the arm 40 nearer the contact spring 53. Vhen the secondary battery 61 is fully charged, the ,arm 40 will have been moved a distance sufficient to depress 'the contactspring and-snap it under the .latching arm 64 which isheld in normal latching position by a spring 67. As soon asfthe contact spring 53'is vmoved out of engagement with the contacts 52 and 56, the line circuit will be broken and the ignition circuit interrupted causing the engine to stop.I The breaking of the lin'e circuit interrupts the circuit for'the coils 17 and '-18 of the electromagnetic governor permitting the spring 23 to rotate the armature 2l and lshaft 22 to open upthe valves 24: and 28 ready for the next starting operation.

To keep a secondary-battery intlieinost Yeiicient condition, and also to increase its life, it is found necessary to periodically give it what 'is termed an overcharge, the reasons for which are lwell known by those skilled in the art. In order to give the secondary battery-61 an overcharge in the system illustrated, the magnetic flux of the shuntcoil 18 is so reduced that the series coil and spring 23 arel permitted 'to rotate the armature 21 into the position illustrated in which the valves "24 and 28 are Wide open. The current passing through the shunt coil 18 from the main 51 normally flows through conductors 68,' 69, normally closed contact springs and 71, and conductors 72 and 73 to the main 50, short circuiting a resistance, 74 connected between the junction of conductors 68v and 69 and conductors 72 and 73. VVhen'it is desired to overcharge the battery, the operating handle is moved clockwise until 'the pointer 36 comes opposite the index point marked overcharge This movement of the handle 35 rotates the arm 33 clockwise a distance suicient to movea button 75, carried thereby, against the contact spring71 and sepa-` rate it from contact with the contact spring 70. I he se aration of contact springs 70 and 71 brea s the short circuit around re- Asistance`r 74 and introduces it into circuit with the shunt coil 18. The resistance y"74 so cuts down'the flux of the shunt coil 18 that Ithe spring 23 is permitted .to hold the arma -v ture 21 and the valves 24 and 28 in the positions showu.'

During the charging ofthe battery, should the current in the Acharging circuit reverse and tend to discharge the battery through the generator, a rmeans is provided which serves under suoli conditions't'o break the charging circuit and also thereby stopping the engine. This means comprises the series and shuntcoils of the electromagnetic regulator. As was` previously explained during the charging of the battery, the series coil 17 opposes the shunt coil 18, but the latter is so much stronger rthan the former that the shunt coil virtually controls the movement of the armature 21. However, should a heavy reversal .of .current occur in the charging circuit due tothe stoping of `the engine through exhaustionof the uel, failureof the ignition circuit or other causes, the current flowing through the series coil would be in a reverse direction so that its flux would be added t0 the flux developed by the shunt coil, and theresultant ilux would be suilicient to rotate the armature 21 counter-clockwise against the tension of the spring 23 and lock up the spring contact 53 through the medium of arm ,40, thereby breaking the main Aline circuit at the contact 52 and the l'ignition circuit vat the contact 56. Although the electromagnetic regulator is illustrated and has been described as applied t0 a prime mover dynamo plant employing a motor generator and a battery, this regulator is equally well adapted for controlling prime mover dynamo plants in which the dynamo lelectric machinefunctions merely as a dynamo and no battery'is employed. lWhere the regulator .is used in such a system its operation is substantially identical with its func'- tions when a battery is employed, but its use without a battery requires that-it have an ad'- ditional function which will now be described. Where a motoror similar device comprises a load, it may be found desirable i to start and stop it at frequent intervals and the ignition circuit,

the armature 21 permitted to rotate eounterclockwise its entire distance inwhich it locks up thecontact spring 53 out of engagement with contacts 52 and 56, causinga breaking of the ignition circuit and the stopping of the gasoline engine. In order to prevent the armature4 2l from having. its extreme movement, the handle 35, after the engine is started, is moved so that its pointer is opposite the index point running without battery. In this position the lever 33 is so disposed thatitl a .Tests the counter-clockwise move- Cal ment ot the arm and shaft QQ at such a point that a small amount ot fuel is `ted the gas engine to keep it in operation and prevents the arin et() trom moving the contact spring 53 out ot engagement with contacts 52 and 56. It, with the engine running and the handle in the position just mentioned, it is desired to stop the set, the said arm is moved `so that its pointer is opposite the iudex point stop automatic, in which position the levei 33 will be out ot the path ot move-ment of the arm 3:2 so that when the load is taken ott of the generator this arm may move couiiter-clockwise to its extreme position, in which the ignition circuit tor the engine is broken, as previously described.

YV iat is claimed is:

1. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electric machine operated thereby, an output circuit supplied with electrical energy by the dynamo electric machine, an electromagnetic device to regulate the speed ot the engine and to open the load, circuit and the ignition .circuit ot the eng-ine in response to the variations iii the electrical condition of the load circuit.

2. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electric machine driven thereby, an output circuit supplied with energy by the dynamo electric machine and an electromagnetic device to control the throttle valve ot the engine and to open and close the ignition circuit thereof.

In combination, an internal combustion machine having an ignition circuit, a dynamo electric machine operated thereby, an output circuit supplied with energy by the dynamo electric machine, means to regulate the speed ot the engine and to open the ioad circuit and the ignition circuit, locking means to maintain these circuits open, an electromagnet to normally control the operation ot the iii'st mentioned means and man ually operated means whereby the operation ot the tirst mentioned means may be conti'ollcd and the locking means released.

t. In a system of the class described, an output circuit, a prime mover having an ignition circuit, a generator driven by the prime mover to supply energy to the output circuit, and an electromagnetic device to con-- trol the speed ot the prime mover in accordance with any variation in the electrical condition ot the output circuit and to cont-rol the ignition circuit of the prime mover.

In a system ot the class described, an output circuit, a. prime mover having an ignition circuit, a. generator driven bythe primeinover to supply energy to the output circuit, and an electromagnetic device re sponsive to variations in load ot'the'output circuit to regulate the speed and duiatio'ir ot operation ot the prime mover in accordance with the variations in load ot` the output circuit. said device being provided with means tor simultaneously' opening the outputcircuit and the ignition circuit o't the` prime mover.

6. In a system ot the class described, an output circuit, a prime mover having an ignition circuit, a battery bridged across the output'circuit, a generator driven by the prime mover to supply energy to the output circuit and to charge the battery, and an electromagnetic device connected between the generator and battery responsive to variation iii load ot the output. circuit to control tlie speed ot operation of the prime mover, said device being provided with means to disconnect the generator from the output circuit and to open the ignition circuit under no-load condition when the battery isconipletely charged;

T. In a system ot the class described, an output circuit, a prime mover having an ignition circuit, a battery bridged across the output circuit, a. generator driven by the prime mover to supply energy to theoutput circuit and to charge the battery and an electromagnetic device` comprising al series winding, a shunt winding, an armature therefor, a lever system operable upon movement ot the armature to control the'speed o't'the prime mover in accordance, with the energy consumed in the output circuit, and a second lever system operable to open the output circuit upon reversal o the direction otcurrent flowing in the series winding.

8. In a system ot the class described, an output circuit, a prime mover having an ignitionl circuit, a generator driven by the prime mover to supply energy to the output circuit and an electromagnetic device having series and shunt windings, an larmature theret'or, a lever under the control ot the armature to regulate the speed ot' the prime mover, asecond lever under the control of the armature adapted to disengage the contacts in the ignitioncircuit o'f the prime mover, a latch tor locking the contacts in the disengaged position, and a third lever cooperating with a manually member to llimit the speed regulation ot said' first lever.

In wit-ness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 21 day ot March A. D., 1921.

HUGH M. sioLLnR.. HUBERT a. rAT'risoN. 

